Twenty Years Young - Wychwood Opens with Disco, Folk and Festival Spirit

Sam Holt
Jun 3
4 min read

Wychwood Festival, Friday 29th May 2026

WORDS / IMAGES SAM HOLT

Twenty Years Young - Wychwood Opens with Disco, Folk and Festival Spirit — PHOTO CREDIT SAM HOLT

FRIDAY 29th MAY

"So here we are once more" is a line from a song that wasn't performed by any of the acts at Wychwood Festival this weekend, yet it somehow became the unofficial theme of the event. Wychwood, now celebrating its twentieth year, had returned once again to Cheltenham Racecourse, bringing with it its familiar mix of music, comedy, family entertainment and a healthy dose of festival magic.

The week leading up to the festival had been full of speculation on social media regarding Friday's original headliner. Had they been withdrawn? Did they pull out? Depending on who you spoke to, the answer seemed to change. Whatever the truth, the weekend schedule was reshuffled, with Sophie Ellis-Bextor stepping up to headline Friday night, The Kaiser Chiefs taking Saturday, and festival favourites The Levellers closing proceedings on Sunday.

Recently crowned Best Family Festival, Wychwood has built a reputation for offering something for everyone. While there were plenty of activities for younger festival-goers, music remained the main attraction for many of the "bigger kids" in attendance. This year also saw the gates open on Thursday for the first time, and I heard plenty of positive reports about both Dr and The Medics and the genre-defying Dutty Moonshine Big Band, who apparently got the weekend off to a flying start.

Friday on the Sam Shrouder Stage began in relatively relaxed fashion with a laid-back set from South African-born Tansholto, followed by local favourites The Callbirds. Bringing their rich nine-piece sound rooted in the music of the 1960s and 70s, they had all the ingredients for a memorable performance. Unfortunately, the sound mix occasionally let them down, making it difficult to hear the full depth of the band's arrangements. Even so, they drew a warm response from the growing crowd.

As the afternoon gathered momentum, Three Daft Monkeys arrived and injected a welcome burst of energy into proceedings. The Cornish folk outfit's uplifting, genre-blending sound proved irresistible, with many in the audience quickly abandoning their seats in favour of dancing. They were exactly the kind of band festivals are made for — joyous, vibrant and impossible to ignore.

Local blues and Americana artist Elles Bailey kept the atmosphere flowing beautifully. Commanding the stage with confidence and charisma, her showmanship was evident throughout. Her distinctive voice is rich, deep and soulful, perfectly suited to her musical style. Having toured alongside some major names and earned widespread respect within the industry, it was easy to understand why she is so highly regarded. Her performance had both grit and elegance, and she held the audience in the palm of her hand.

There was recently a discussion about how difficult it is to find someone willing to admit they are a Boney M fan. Strangely enough, everybody still seems to know every word of every song. As the legendary disco outfit took to the stage in a blaze of glitter and sparkle, they transported the audience straight back to the dancefloors of the seventies. Hit followed hit, and from the opening moments to the final bow, the crowd lapped up every second. It was impossible not to smile. Whether lifelong fans or secret admirers, everyone seemed united in celebration.

Following Boney M was never going to be an easy task, but Sean Williamson gamely accepted the challenge as he brought his Barrioke show to the main stage. Opening with Is This The Way To Amarillo, he immediately had sections of the audience singing along. Williamson remains an immensely likeable performer and his enthusiasm is infectious. While some questioned whether Barrioke was the ideal bridge between Boney M and the evening headliner, there was no doubting that plenty of people enjoyed themselves.

Across the arena on The Garden Stage, indie legends The Wedding Present offered an alternative soundtrack to the evening. For many gathered there, it was an opportunity to revisit the soundtrack of their youth. Vocalist David Gedge even remarked on how much he had enjoyed Boney M's performance earlier in the day — perhaps not something many would have predicted. Though Gedge remains the band's sole original member, his onstage rapport with guitarist Rachael Wood was excellent. Their set was warmly received by a devoted crowd who hung on every note.

Returning to the Sam Shrouder Stage at 9:15pm, Sophie Ellis-Bextor brought a dazzling dose of disco-pop to close the evening. In recent years she has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence, helped in no small part by her hugely popular Kitchen Disco performances during lockdown. Judging by the reaction she received at Wychwood, that popularity shows no sign of fading anytime soon.

Effortlessly glamorous and full of energy, she delivered a set packed with crowd-pleasers before bringing proceedings to a fitting climax with Murder on the Dancefloor. As voices rang out across the racecourse and thousands joined in for one final singalong, it felt like the perfect ending to the festival's opening day. A fabulous conclusion to Friday night and a reminder of why Wychwood continues to hold such a special place in the festival calendar.